Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-18
Dedication of an Americans Monumen
to shakespeare.

LONDON, October l7th.-The Shakespeare
memorial fountain presented by George w. F..
Chlds, OF Philadelphia, Pa, to the town of
Stratford upon-Avon, was dedicated with
imposing ceremonies to-day. The weather
was fine. There was an immense crowd in
attendance and much enthusiasm was man
lfested. DIR. Macauley represented Childs
at the proceedings.
Just before noon the invited guests
formed IN line and marched to the Town
Hall, and thence to the site of the fountain.
Henry Irving made the dedication speech.
he said he admired Childs' public spirit
and energy, which WAS worthy of Phila-
delphia. His generous deeds were widely
known. and he was greatly respected.
Irving concluded his address by present
ing the memorial, i'll the name of the donor.
10 the town.
The Mayor read a letter from James
Russell Lowell, eulogizjng Childs for his
gift, which deed recalled the fact of the
kindred blood of the two great nations,
who are joint-heirs to the work of Shakes
peare genius.
" Hail Columbia" was sung, and cheers
were given tor the Queen aud President
Cleveland. Luncheon at the Town Hall
followed the ceremonies.
The day was observed as q holiday, and
the whole town was en- tete The procession
from the Town Hall TO the fountain was led
by the municipal authorities
A POEM BY HOLMES.
During the exercises the following dedi-
catory poem, written by Oliver Wendell
Holmes, was read by Henry Irving:
Welcome, thrice welcome is thy silyery CLEAN
Thou long imprisoned stream7
Welcome the tinkle OF thy crystal beads
AS plashing raindrops 10 the howery meads,
AS summers treath 10 Avon's whispering reedsl
Froln rockwalIed channels, drowned i'll rayless
night,
Leap forth to life and light;
wake from the darkness of thy troubled dream
and greet win answering smile the morning S
beam!
No purer lymph the white limbed Naiad knows
Than from thy chalce flows;
Not the bright spring of Africs sunny shores
starry win spangles washed from golden ores
Nor CLASSY stream Blandusia's fountain pours,
Nor wave translucent where Sabrina fair
BraidS her loose howing hair,
Nor the swift current. stainless as it rose
Where chill Arveiron steals from Alpine SHOWS.
Here shall the traveller stay his weary feet
To seek thy calm retreat;
Here at high noon the brown-armed reapers
Here. when the shadows, lengthening from the
west,
Call the mute song bird to his leafy nest
Nation and maid shall chat the cares away
That brooded DER the day
While flocking round them troops Of children
meet,
And all the arches ring with laughter sweet
Here shall the steed, his patient life who spends
In toll that never ends
Hot from his thirsty tramp DER hill and plaiu
Plunge his red nostrils, while the torturing rein
Drops in loose loops beside his flowing mane;
Nor the poor brute that shares his masters lot
finds his small needs forgot
Jruest of humble, long genduriug friends
Whose presence cheers, whgse guardian care
defendsl
Here lark aud thrush and nightingale shall sip,
And skimming swallows q D.
And strange shy wanderers fold their lnstrous
plumes
Fragrant from bowers that lent their sweet per
fumes
Where Pestum't rose or Persas lilac blooms
Here from the cloud the eagle stoop to drink
At the full basins brink
And whet his beak against its rounded lip,
HIS glossy feathers glistening as they drip.
Here shall the dreaming poet linger long
Far from the listening throng-
Nor lutte nor Tyre his trembling hand shall bring;
Here no trall Muse shall imp her crippled wing,
No faltering minstrel strain his throat to sing
These halowed echoes who shall dare to claim
Whose tuueleSS voice would shame
Whose iangiing chords with jarring notes would
The nymphs that heard the Swan of AvoD's
song2
What visions greet the pilgrims raptured eve
What ghosts made real rise
The dead return-they breathe-they live again.
Joined by the hope of Faucy's airy train
Fresh from the springs OF Shakespeare's quick
ening brain
The stream that slakes the SOULS diviner thirst
Here found the sunbeams first;
Rich with his fame not less shall memory prize
The gracious gift that humber wants supplies
Ger the wide waters reached the hand that
gave
To all this bounteous wave,
With health and strength and joyous beauty
franght;
Blest be the generous pledge of friendship,
brought
From the tar home of brothers love, unbonght !
Long may fair AvonS fountain flow, enrolled
With s.Oried shrines of old
Castalia's spring, Egerias dcwy cave
And Horebs rock the God of Israel clave!
Land of our Fathers ocean makes us two,
But heart to heart is true
Proud is your towering daughter in the West,
Yet in her burning life-hlood reign contest
Her motRer's pulses beating in her breast.
This holy fount, whose rills from heaven de-
scend,
Its gracious drops shall lend
Both foreheads bathed in that baptismal dew,
And love make one the old home and the new